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mammal. 2 SheetsSheet 1. j I J. s, FOWLER.

A WRENGH.

,N 549,871.-. Patented Nov. 12,1895.

WITNESSES. INVENTgHL,

Y v BY I v v ATTORNEYS B GRAHAM. PHOTO-LTI'NQWASNJNGTDKDZC.

NREW.

UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. FOYVLER, OF BOIVERS, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO \VILLIAMB. MATTHEWS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,871, dated November12, 1895.

Application filed June 13, 1895. Serial No. 552,701. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,'JAMEs S. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bowers, in the county of Southampton and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVrenches; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to wrenches, particularly to that classthereof known as sliding-j aw wrenches, and the principle is applicableto both nut and pipe wrenches, though preferably constructed as anutwrench.

The objects of the invention are,'first, to provide a wrench which shallbe exceedingly cheap, simple, and durable, and avoid the use of screwand ratchet attachments for adj usting the jaws; secondly, to provide awrench having two sliding jaws which move in unison and clamp the objectto be turned between them, and the same force which turns the wrench andobject held therein is also utilized to clamp the jaws tighter upon theobject, and, thirdly, to provide a wrench which will have a wide rangeof variation to suit any sized nut or pipe, and, also, to provide awrench which will occupy very little space when not in use.

With these objects in View the invention consists, broadly, in theemployment of an open wedge-shaped shank or frame, and the sliding jawsarranged upon the side members of said shank or frame and adapted toslide in unison thereon whereby as said jaws are slid toward the narrowend said jaws approach each other and recede as they are moved towardthe broad end.

The invention consists, also, in arranging in combination with thewedge-shaped shank or frame and jaws, before referred to, ahandleattached to said shank or frame at the broad end, said handle beingpreferably reversible and foldable, so that the wrench can be usedeither as a right or left hand wrench or upon either side.

The invention consists, also, in the peculiar manner of constructing andcombining the various parts, all of which will be fully describedhereinafter, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wrench, the handle being shown asfolded within the shank or frame. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinalsectional view, the handle being shown turned up for use. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a detail perspective view showing a slight modification. Fig. 5 showsthe device constructed for use as a nut and pipe wrench combined, andFig. 6 shows the jaws formed with double recesses in each face.

In the practical embodiment of the invention a main shank or frame A isemployed, said shank or frame being wedge-shaped and open, as shown, thenarrow end being arranged uppermost. This shank or frame is made ofstout flat metal, preferably of caststeel, and movable upon the sidemembers a (L are the sliding jaws B B, said jaws being shaped alike thatis, grooved upon their exteriors, as at bto receive the side members aand recessed at Z) upon their interiors to receive the nut or otherobject to be turned. Each of the jaws B has a slotted guide-lug 0 uponits upper face, which coacts with a guide pin 0 upon the upper face ofthe opposite jaw, and by means of this connection the two jaws slide upand down in unison, and consequently approach and recede withregularity, so that there is no binding upon the side members of theshank or frame.

A handle D is pivotally attached to the shank or frame at its broad orlower end, by means of which the wrench is revolved to turn the objectheld between its jaws, and it will be noticed that the power beingapplied to the lower or broad end tends to force the jaws toward theupper or narrow end, and as said jaws are forced in this direction theymust approach each other on account of the incline or obliquity of theside members a a upon which they slide, and to guard against anydisplacement of said jaws a guide-plate E is attached to the exterior ofeach jaw and covers the groove in which the side member slides.

The handle D is preferably pivoted to the shank or frame upon theinterior and is reversible, so that the wrench can be used upon eitherside, and it will be noticed that each jaw is doublethat is, recessedupon each side to receive a nut-and by making these recesses ofdifferent sizes a wide range of variation is attained. The handle D isalso formed with a lug or enlargement (1 upon each side near the innerend, the purpose of which is to hold the handle at a right angle to thewrench when turned outward or ready for use, and when not in use saidhandle is folded into the open shank or frame, and thus occupies verylittle space when notin use.

The guide-plates E are not absolutely essential; but it is preferred toemploy them in order to prevent any lost motion or binding of the parts.I11 Fig. 4 is shown a somewhat modified form of construction, in whichthe plates E are dispensed with and the jaw cast as an entirety; but inthis construction the shank or frame is formed of two pieces instead ofone in order to permit the jaws to be fixed upon the side members (1..In Fig. 4: the guide lugs and pins are also formed in tegral with thejaws.

In Fig. 5 is shown a combination nut and pipe wrench, the interiors ofthe jaws being toothed as at F to bind against the surface of the pipe.

In Fig. 6 the jaws are shown as constructed with an extra set ofrecesses b so that a greater variety of nuts can be accommodated.

The invention is not limited to the precise construction of the severalelements-such, for instance, as the handle, guide lugs, pins, andplates; but all of said parts can be varied without departing from. thespirit or principle of the invention, which consists in the employmentof an open shank or frame broader at one end than at the other, and thesliding jaws arranged upon the side members of said shank or frame andadapted to slide in unison.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. Ina wrench, the open shank or frame broader at one end than at theother, the clamping jaws slidable thereon, and the handle pivoted to thesaid shank at its broader end, said handle being reversible andfoldable, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a wrench, an open shank or frame constructed as described, thejaws slidable upon or within the said frame, and means for connectingthe said jaws, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a wrench, an open shank or frame constructed as described, thejaws slidable thereon, and earryin g the guide lugs and pins and theguide plates, all arranged substantially shown and described.

4-. In a wrench, an open shank or frame constructed as described, thejaws slidable thereon or therein, means for connectingthc said jaws, andthe reversible foldable handle pivoted to the broad end of the shank orframe, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES S. FOIVL'ICP.

Witnesses:

L. R. EDWARDS, J. A. JACKSON.

